Designers
Yangmiao Xu
Year
2024
Category
New Talent
Country
United States
School
Northwestern University
Teacher
Jim Wicks, Amy Schwartz
Three questions for the project team
What was the particular challenge of the project from a UX point of view?
The particular challenge of the project from a UX point of view was avoiding feature overload and complexity in our road trip app. Initially, I aimed to cover the entire end-to-end experience for multi-car road trips, but this approach risked overwhelming users with too many features. I shifted focus to specific stages of the road trip experience, identifying and addressing key pain points. Since this app is heavily experience-based and integral to the trip, the challenge was creating a fun, engaging, efficient, and meaningful part of the multi-car road trip experience without overcomplicating it. Balancing simplicity and comprehensive functionality was crucial.
What was your personal highlight in the development process? Was there an aha!-moment, was there a low point?
A low point in the development process was my initial goal for Caravan to address every pain point in a multi-car road trip, which risked overwhelming users. I struggled to find a way to fulfill this vision without complicating the app. The aha! moment came while using Slack at work. Two things that look non-relatable actually inspired me in the development process. I then realized this is the magic of being a 'pollinator' and thinking outside the box.
Where do you see yourself and the project in the next five years?
Caravan started as a small idea and has grown into something people say they need in 18 weeks. Though not yet mature, it showcases the potential for future smart car services. In the next five years, I plan to present Caravan to stakeholders in map services and the EV space, exploring opportunities for integration with existing products. I see Caravan becoming a significant part of the automobile industry, enhancing road trip experiences and potentially becoming a standard feature in smart vehicles. My goal is to solidify Caravan's place in the evolving landscape of automotive technology.
